- Author: Nicholas Clark
- Author: Larry Godfrey
- Author: Peter B Goodell
PCA's and field scouts, be on the lookout with your hand lenses this late fall for flea beetles in recently emerged small grains that are planted near forage sorghum fields. Check sorghum fields as well for these beetles if there are plants still standing and you expect a small grain crop to come up soon within that field or adjacent to it. Weeds may also be a transitional host for the beetle, so good weed control between crops and along field edges is important. The adult beetles are very small (1-3 mm long), are various in color patterns depending on the species, have enlarged hind leg femurs (upper part of hind leg), actively crawl on sorghum and small grains leaves, and will readily jump like a flea when disturbed. Still, the most...
- Author: Nicholas Clark
Join us at the Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center for a half day of demonstrations and education on managing pertinent issues in alfalfa and forage production in the San Joaquin Valley.
DATE: September 14, 2016
TIME: Registration starts at 7:30 AM
Tram tour leaves at 8:00 AM
Meeting ends at 12:30 PM with LUNCH
WHERE: Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center
Building 114, Nectarine Room
...
- Author: Vonny M. Barlow
Basic background and biology of the blue alfalfa aphid:
The blue alfalfa aphid (Acyrthosiphon kondoi Shinji) was first identified by entomologists in the spring of 1975 in the Imperial Valley of California. Since then it has become widespread throughout the state and has become established in Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, and as far east as Kansas and Oklahoma. Both adults and nymphs feed on photosynthetic fluids from the leaves and stems of the alfalfa plant. Low to moderate populations of blue alfalfa aphid (BAA) may cause little to no visible yellowing of plants. Blue alfalfa aphid feed in the new growth, at the tips and young leaves. After prolonged feeding, leaves will eventually turn yellow,...
- Author: Vonny M. Barlow
- Author: Peter B. Goodell
- Author: Larry Godfrey
The blue alfalfa aphid, Acyrthosiphon kondoi Shinji was first identified by entomologists in the spring of 1975 in the Imperial Valley of California. Since then it has become widespread throughout the state and has become established in Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, and as far east as Kansas and Oklahoma. Both adults and nymphs feed on photosynthetic fluids from the leaves and stems of the alfalfa plant. Low to moderate populations of blue alfalfa aphid may cause little to no visible yellowing of plants. Blue alfalfa aphid feed in the new growth, at the tips and young leaves. After prolonged feeding, leaves will eventually turn yellow, starting at the veins, leaves will curl and wilt, and turn necrotic...
- Author: Vonny M. Barlow
- Author: Larry Godfrey
Introduction
Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) has been cultivated in California since it was first introduced from Chile in 1850. Alfalfa yields can be reduced by several species of insects, such as leafhoppers in the genus Empoasca. These leafhoppers are highly polyphagous and capable of successful reproduction on over 200 plant species in 25 different families. In alfalfa hay in California there is a complex of three species of Empoasca leafhoppers (ELH) that are nearly identical in appearance and behavior. These include the potato leafhopper, Empoasca fabae (Harris), the garden leafhopper, Empoasca solana DeLong, and the Mexican leafhopper,...
